Hard Candy is a challenging film to experience viewing. It's discomforting, questionable, and shares a weird parallel with reality as it discusses a heavy controversial topic. It immediately immerses audiences into its unsettling universe where everyone are either perpetrators or oblivious to the main narrative. Despite focusing primarily on two characters, what mysterious events unfold among them are deeply alienating and horrific.
However, even with its powerful narrative and performances, it's a complicated and vague film that expects audiences to develop their interpretations of certain outcomes than presenting them. Other issues include its sometimes disjointed cinematography, disposable minor characters, characters having an identity crisis, some misleading and miswritten scenes, and obvious missed opportunities to make a statement in exchange of simpler storytelling.
It's a seemingly hard film to watch that's actually harder to chew.
However, even with its powerful narrative and performances, it's a complicated and vague film that expects audiences to develop their interpretations of certain outcomes than presenting them. Other issues include its sometimes disjointed cinematography, disposable minor characters, characters having an identity crisis, some misleading and miswritten scenes, and obvious missed opportunities to make a statement in exchange of simpler storytelling.
It's a seemingly hard film to watch that's actually harder to chew.